Priming apparatus for pumps



Dec. 6, 1932.

A. C. DURDIN, JR

PRIMING APPARATUS FOR PUMPS Filed May 15. 1930 Patented Dec. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE AUGUSTUS C.`-DURDIN, JR., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO PUMP COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PRIHING APPARATUS FOR ZPUMPS Application led May 15, y1930. Serial No. 452,550.

This invention relates to pumps, and more nism` fory maintaininga partial vacuum in particularly to centrifugal pumps. Considsaid chamber and admitting air at atmoserable difficulty has been encountered with pheric pressure to the gas or air pump when umps of this type when used to pump liquid the liquid pump is primed, whereby at such groin a lower level than that of the pump. times the gas or air pump may run idle. 55 because of the difficulty in priming the pump It further consists inthe several novel feaat the start of the pumping operation, and tures of construction, arrangement and comalso because of the diiliculty of keeping the bination of parts hereinafter fully set forth pump free from air during the pumping and claimed.

operation. Many attempts have been made The invention is clearly illustrated in the 60 to provide automatic means for priming the drawing accompauying this specification in pump with more or less success, but the parwhich the figure is a view partly in side ele- -ticular objection to such automatic priming vation and partly in vertical longitudinal secdevices is that they constantly place a load tion of a liquid pump equipped with prim- 5 on the priming apparatus, thereby unnecesing apparatus embodying a simple form of 65 sarily increasing the power required to operthe present invention. ate the pump. Referring to said drawing, which is mere-V The principal object of the present invenly schematic and illustrates one form of the tion is the provision of novel means for eX- invention, the reference character A desigtracting the gas or air from a centrifugal nates a centrifugal pump of conventional 70 pump at the commencement of its operation form having an impeller l rotating in avolute and also for removing any gas or air from 2 and mounted upon a shaft 3 journaled in` ,the pump in .caseany finds its way therebearings 4 carried by a base 5. -The inlet to lnto during operation. Another object is the the liquid pump is indicated at 6 and is conprovision of novel priming means for freenected to a pipe -or conduit7 which, as shown, ing the liquid pump of air or other gases leadsdown from the pump to a source of liqduring the pumping operation without placuid supply.` The shaft 3 is connected to and lng any appreciable burden upon the pump driven by an electric motor or other power motor when the priming means is running device (not shown), as is customary.

ldle. Associated with the pump A is a gas or With these and other objects and advanair pump B of conventional form, `and said tages in view, this invention consists in a pump B .may comprise apump of the type centrifugal pump provided with a gas orV employing water. for its pumping action, or air pump having a conduit leading from it may comprise the ordinary rotary type of its intake side to the liquid pump and progas or air pump. The gas or air pump B 85 vided with a chamber in which a partial is mounted upon the pump base 5, and, las

vacuum is created to prime the liquid pump, shown, its impeller 8 is mounted upon the whereby liquld flows into the chamber, and, shaft 3 of the liquid pump, although it is to o as a resultnopens a valve to that part of the be observed that it may be mounted upon a conduit which leads from the chamber to the separate shaft coupled to the shaft of the liq- 9 gas or air pump, whereby air at atmospheric uid pump or separately driven from the shaft pressure is admitted to the gas or air'pump, 3, or other power shaft. When a gas or air thereby relieving said -pump of its work. It vpump of the type employing water for its further cons1sts 1n a'l'iquld pump of the ropumping action is used, the water may be y)tary type provldcd with a rotary gas `or air supplied thereto by a pipe 9 from any suitpump driven from the same source of power able source, as, for instance, the city water as that which drives the liquid pump, and pressure. having a conduit connecting the liquid pump The liquid pump A is shown-in the form of 'w1th the 'intake of the gas or air pump and a double-suction pump, the inlet chambers o provided wlth a'chamber and valve mecha` 10 of which communicate ,with the intake 6 It rvis to and are disposed at the sides of the impeller 1. When a gas or air pump B ofthe type employing water for its pumping Vaction is used, an inlet chamber 11 is provided in the lcasing of the pump which may communicate with the water supply pipe 9.

Connecting the inlet chamber or chambers 10 and 11 of the pump'A and gas or air pump B is a conduit C composed of partsy designated by the characters 12, 13 and 14,y through which the gas or air pump removes gas and air from the inlet chamber or lchambers 10 of the liquid pump by creating` al partial vacuum therein. In order to prevent any water from being carried from the liquid pumpl to the gas or air pump, and in order `to minimize the load on the gas and air pump after the liquid pump has been primed, 'the partV of the conduit designated Cby the character 13 is enlarged to provide a float and vacuum chamber for receiving liquid when the liquid pump is being primed, and said float chamber 13 communicates with the part. 14 of the conduit through a port 15 controlled by a check valve lfiwhich remains open while suction is' being applied to the float chamber by the gas'or air pump.

An air inlet port 17 is provided in the part 14 of the conduit between the float chamber land gas or air pump, which port 17 is controlled by avalve 18 connected to and operated by a'iioat 19 contained in the float chamber 13..v In the form of the invention illusv trated, the valve 18 is connected to the float 19 by a stem 520, and at theplace where thev stem 20 extends through the -wall 21vwliich separates the, oat chamber from the part 14 of the conduit, I provide a seal or joint, here. shown in the form of a sylphon bellows 22 v herx'l'letically sealed to the wall 21 and stem 20 .to prevent any possibility of leakage at this point. l

. be observed that so long as the oat v19 remains at the lower limit of its movement, the valve 18 closes the air inlet port 17, so that the full effect. of the gas or air umpis applied through the conduit C to t e liquid pump. When the float israised tothe upper limit of its movement, the air inlet port 17 is opened, whereb outside air is admitted to` that portion 14 o the conduit which is between the float chamber and the gas or air pump, whereupon they check valve 16 seats itself and closes the port 15, thereb maintaining a partial vacuum in the float c amber and permitting the gas or air pump to run without causin any a preciable vacuum in the part 14 of t e con uit.

Inasmuch as itv is yunnecessary to furnish the gas or air pump shown with water', ex-

. cept Whenffunctioning'to cleate vacuum, it

. plishing fthis' `"automatically. As shown, a

shut-oft` valve 23 is provided on the water supply pipe '9, and said valve 23`is operatively connected with the floatvalve mechln nism, so that when the float valve is raised,v vwhich is thecase when the liquid pump is againv function. ''A"s}`sfl1ovv1f1,the simple means y for connecting theffloat valve mechanism with the valve 23 comprises a lever 24l fulcrumed-upon a bracket 25 and having an arm connected to the upper end of the valve stem 20 and its other arm connected to the valve steml of the shut-oil' valve 23 by a link 26.

In operation, the pumps A and B and con-l duit C are usually filled with air at the commencement of the pumping operation. At the start the gas or air pump exhausts the air from the liquid pump and when sufficient vacuum is built up therein, the water rises and fills the intake chambers 10 of the liquid pump and enters the vacuum chamber 13 through the parts .12 of the conduit C. The valve 18 remains closed "until the water in the vacuum chamber rises sufficiently to o'ver-v A balance the weight of the float'valve mechanism and the pressure on the exterior `of the valve 18, whereupon the float is raised and therewith the valve 18 is lifted, thereby uncovering the air inlet port 17 and adm1tting air at atmospheric pressure to the part 14 of the conduit. Simultaneously, because of the diii'erence in pressure between the vacuum chamber 13 and part 14 ofthe conduit, thev check valve 16 closes, thereby maintaining the partial vacuum in the vacuum chamber.

The liquid pump having been primed, it lcontinues to function as a liquid pump, and inasmuch as the vacuum in the part 14 of the conduit and inthe gas or airpump has been broken, the gas or air pump continues to run idly creating little or no' vacuum inthe part*` 14 'of the conduit', thereby relieving the motor so that all of the power may be utilized in driving the liquid pump. When thel shut-oli' valve 23 is employed, the supply of water is shutoff 'as soon as thepfloat -19 is raised and, consequently, the impeller of the gas or air pump rotates idly, lthereby relieving the motor of any ei'ort to .operate the gas or air pump, except that required to rotate the impeller. l

n case any gas or air finds its way into the float chamber 13 or the liquid pump A, the water in the oat chamber recedes', and when the level of the water lowers suiciently', thefloat 19 falls, thereby closing the air inlet -port 17 through the valve 18, whereupon the gas or air pump quickly builds up a vacuum in the part 14 of the conduit and in the float chamber and, as a result, thek water again rises in the float chamber,.raises the oatfan'd opens the air inlet port 17. Outside air being admitted to the part 14 of the conduit, the check valve 16 closes and the gas or air pump is again relieved of its work. The operation thus described is continued so long as the liquid pump is in use.

l It is'to be observed that little or no vacuum is maintained in the part 14 of the conduit during the operation of the liquid pump after it has been primed, except when air leaks into the float chamber or liquid pump, and then the gas or air pump functions for a comparatively short time to restore the vacuum in the iioat chamber. Power that is ordinarily required to operate gas or air pumps for self-priming rotary liquid pumps 1s reduced to a minimum and utilized for driving the liquid pump. Moreover, the wear and t those of the rotary type that employ or do not l the volume of liquid contained 1n the vacutear on such gas or air pumps is materially reduced.

Furthermore, when the vacuum is broken in the part of the conduit leading from the float chamber to the gas pump, its effect on the pump is to relieve it of its work of creating a vacuum.v For this reason, it is especially advantageous to admit an abundance of air at atmospheric pressure to the suction conduit of the gas pump.

YIt is to be understood that the term gas pump as used in this specification, and in the appended claims, is intended to include vacuum pumps generally and'particularly employ water in their pumping action.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention. I desire, therefore, not tolimit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and described,"

but intend, in the following claims, to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent: l

l. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid pumps comprising in combination a gas pump driven with the liquid pump, a conduit connecting the liquid pump with the intake of the gaspump and including a chamber adaptedl to receive air and liquid from the liquid pump, there being a port between said chamber and that part Vof the conduit leading therefrom to the gas pump, controlled by a valve opening outward from the chamber, and there being a valve-controlled relief port opening from that part of the conduit which leads from the chamber to the gas pump, having a valve operating independently of said first mentioned valve for admitting outside air to the gas pump through that part of thel conduit which leads from the relief port to the gas pump. K

2. Priming apparatus for rotary'- liquid pumps comprising in combination a rotary gas pump of the type employing water for its action, a suction conduit connecting the liquid and liquid from the liquid pump, there beinga port between said vacuum chamber and that part of the conduit leading therefrom to the gas pump controlled by a valve opening outward from the chamber, and there being a valve-controlled relief port opening from that part of the conduit which leads from the chamber to the'gas pump, having a valve operating independently of said first mentioned .valve for admitting air to the gas pump through that part of the conduit which leads from the relief port to the gas pump.

3. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid pumps comprising in combination a gas pump, a conduit connecting the liquid pump with the intake of the gas pump and having a vacuum chamber adapted to receive air and the conduit leading therefrom to the gas pump controlled by a valve opening outward 4 from the chamber, and there being a valvecontrolled relief port opening from that part of the conduit which leads from the chamber to the gas pump, having a valve operatingy independently of said first mentioned valve for establishing communication between said last mentioned part of the conduit and the outer atmosphere whereby outside air is admitted to the gas pump through said part of the conduit, said means being controlled by closing the passage through the conduit, and

means operating independently of said valve, responsive to variations of the volume of liquid in said conduit for admitting outside air to that part of the conduit between the gas pump and the part of the conduit containing the liquid when the check valve is closed.

5. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid pumps comprising in combination a rotary gas pump of the type employing water for its action and having a drivingconnection associated with the liquid pump, a suction conduit having an incoming part connected to the liquid pump and an outgoing part connected to the intake of the gas pump, a pressure-operated valve between the two parts of the conduit opening towards the gas pump for controlling the passage through said conduit whereby vacuum is capable of being maintained on the incoming part side of said conduit and atmospheric pressure on the other side thereof, and an independently operating valve-controlled means for openlng the outgoing part of the conduit to atmospheric pressure whereby the vacuum therein is broken without reducing the vacuum 1n the incoming part of the conduit.

L 'f 6, Priming apparatus for rotary liquid pumps comprising in combination a gas pump having a driving connection with the liquid pump, a suction conduit connecting the l1qu1d pump with the intake of the gas pump and provided with aioat chamber having a port leading to that part of the conduit which extends" from the float chamber tothe gas v pump', a check valve opening towards the gas pump for controlling said port, and there vbeingl an air inlet port in said-part of the conduit through which air may enter the same and break the vacuum therein, and a y 2oiioat valve for controlling said air inlet port,

the float of which float valve is contained inl said iioat chamber.

.7."Priming apparatus for rotary liquid l'pl'lmps' comprising in combination a rotary gasv pump of the type employing water for its pumping action and having a suction conduit connecting theliquid pump with the intake of the gas pump and provided wlth a float chamber having a port leadin to that i part of the-conduit which extends rom the float chamber to the gas pump, a check valve opening ktowards 'the' gas pump for controllingfsaidport, and a oat valve for controlfling a port between the last mentioned part ofthe conduit and the outside air.

8. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid'` pumps comprising in combination a liquid pump having an inlet pipe, a gas pump, a conduit forming a connection between the liquid pump and intake of the gas pump and including a chamber adapted to receive air and liquid from the inlet pipe of the liquid pump, there being a port between said chamber and that part of the conduit leading therefrom to the gas pump controlled by a valve opening outward from the chamber, and means operating independently of said valve for freelysadmittingoutside air to the last mentioned vpart of the conduit whereby the vacuum therein is broken and the vacuum pump is relieved of its Work.

9. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid pumps comprising in combination a liquid outer atmosphere, said meansbeingcontrolled by the volume of the liquid contained in the vacuum chamber.

10. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid pumps comprising in combination a liquid pump -having an inlet pipe, a gas pump'having a driving connection associated with the liquid pump, a conduit forming a connection between the inlet pipe of the liquid pump and the intake ofthe gas pump and having a part adapted to receive liquid from the inlet pipe kof the liquid pump, a check valve opening towards the gas pump for opening andclosing the passage through said conduit, and means responsive to variations of the volume of liquid. in said conduit for breaking the vacuum in that part of the conduit between the gas pump and the part of the conduit containing the liquid. l

11. Priming apparatus for rotary liquid p'umps comprising in combination a rotary gas pump of the type employing water for its pumping action, a conduit connecting the liquid pump, with the intake of the gas pump and including a float chamber, a water supply pipe for supplying water to said gas pump, a shut-off valve therefor, and float operated actuating mechanism for said valve having a ioat in said float chamber.

AUGUSTUS C. DURDIN, JR. 

